The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-09-01


AS the soul of love would thrill!
Do not count it lost.
Tis of little COST
Which some heart may yearn to hear:
That precious token,
or kindness spoken,
That comes with the word of cheer
Translated from the French for the N O. Times Demo
crat.1
"LOvE" AND REPENTANCE.
1t was at Saint Valery-en-C Caux, during
the bathing-season, that Nine Alice
Vivien first met Roger de Beaumont.
Roger was finding the hours quite te-
dious at that domestic resort.
He had noticed Nine. Vivien. who was.
by far, the prettiest of all the fair bathers
at the place, and he thought that court
ing her would be very pleasant way of
varying the monotonous life he was
leading.
Nine. Vivien dwelt in pretty cottage
by the seaside. Her husband, detained
in Paris by his business, could only man.
age to come down once a week and re-
main with her from Saturday to Monday
AT the age of seventeen Alice had
been married to Mr.. Vivien, gentleman
thirty five years of age, whose devotion
to her was blending of love with faith
erly tenderness.
She was an honest, upwright woman,
who would have repulsed Roger de Beau
mont had he begun by making love to
her.
But the young man was too shrewd to
proceed in this way. He understood the
young woman's ingenious heart, and he
endeavored to gain her confidence by slow
degrees.
He was the ideal of her most secret
thoughts in months time he had gained
her love, even before she herself was
aware Of it.
Roger, himself, was beginning to take
an interest in the game he was playing
He even felt growing passion for that
adorable and artless young woman, and,
one evening, while with her at the pier
head, where they had gone to enjoy the
breeze. he exclaimed in voice full of
emotion:
81 love your
She tried to make him hush, to show
that she was offended; but he, whose
ardor and boldness seemed heightened by
the charm and poetry of the delightful
evening, continued in passionate tone
Il have loved you since the first day I
saw you -. And you love me too l
know it, feel it j.. Only let me worship
you. Don't avoid me, don't repulse
mel"
Hush for Heavens sake, hush !''
"Oh do not answer me in that way,
me, who adore you; let me hope that you
will say that you love mel"
As he looked at her she seemed ready
to faint shining tear-drops were yelling
in her eyes, and her little hand quivered
like captive bird.
"Let me 60" said she in a voice
scarcely audible.
He escorted her TO her gate, and, bow
ing low, he said: 81 shall ex pect an an
command to live"
And avowal would perhaps have
escaped from Alice's lips had not the
noise of footsteps and the sound of voices
fallen on her ear.
Dreading to be seen, and already as
timerous as guilty person, the young
woman withdrew and hastily entered the
house.
al love him, too J.. Il love him -
murmured she, and remembering how
anxiously the young man had wished for
an avowal OF her love, feeling her heart
overflowing, she hastily wrote with a
feverish hand:
for TOMORROW ALICE"
She smiled while thinking Of the glad.
ness that would fill Rogers heart when
he read her letter, and, Notwithstanding
the lateness of the hour, she hastened out
to drop it in the letter-box.
She had barely returned to the house
when a vague feeling of dread began to
Cypress her. The intoxicating charm
that had possessed her was dissi pated,
and, to her mind, came the picture of her
husband, so confding and loving.
The next day, from the moment she
awoke, she had but one thought, to get
back her letter.
About o'clock in the afternoon she
went TO the casino, where she was sure
to find Roger, who, as soon as he saw
her, advanced with outstretched hands,
his eyes beaming with triumphal joy.
"Sir," said she, " yesterday had mo-
ment Of folly; forget it please !. =. Il do
not love you, swear it l.. Il have never
loved you and | shall never love you....
no, never!"
Roger, disappointed, looked at her,
wicked smile playing about his lips.
"You are an adorable, capricious
woman" said he, somewhat insolently, to
conceal his vexation.
"Oh! sir, do not be unkind. Please
give me back the letter I so foolishly
sent you!''
"But appreciate your letter very
much. 1t is charming
"Sir. am a faithful wife and love
my husband"
The young man smiled again, and lean
ing toward Alice he looked straight into
her eyes as he said:
Il haven't your letter with me. care
fully locked it up at home"
The young woman stepped back in-
stinctively.
BE generous, for heavens sake DO